1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bipolar treatment device which configured to use a probe and a jaw configured to open/close with respect to a distal portion of the probe as electrodes to perform a treatment by a high-frequency current.
2. Description of the Related Art
A medical treatment device disclosed in US2009/0270854 includes a columnar (non-hollow) probe extending along a longitudinal axis, and a jaw configured to open/close with respect to a distal portion of the probe. This medical treatment device is used as a bipolar treatment device which is configured to use the probe and the jaw as electrodes to perform a bipolar treatment by a high-frequency current. The distal portion of the probe is curved from a first perpendicular direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to open/close directions of the jaw, toward a second perpendicular direction, which is opposite to the first perpendicular direction. As the distal portion of the probe is curved, an inclined plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe is formed in an outer peripheral surface of a curved part. The jaw is curved from the first perpendicular direction toward the second perpendicular direction in accordance with the curved shape of the probe. As the jaw is curved, a jaw-side inclined plane is formed in an outer peripheral surface of a curved part of the jaw.
In an example of the bipolar treatment by the high-frequency current, a probe and a jaw open with respect to the probe are used as electrodes to pass a high-frequency current through living tissue between the probe and the jaw via a supplied liquid such as a physiological saline solution, and the living tissue is coagulated by the high-frequency current. In this treatment, an inclined plane provided in the outer peripheral surface of the distal portion of the probe and a jaw-side inclined plane of the jaw are brought into contact with the living tissue while the jaw is open with respect to the probe. A liquid (physiological saline solution) is then supplied to the living tissue between the probe and the jaw, and the probe and the jaw are used as electrodes to pass a high-frequency current through the living tissue between the probe and the jaw via the supplied liquid. The liquid (physiological saline solution) is heated by the high-frequency current, and boils. The living tissue is reformed by using the boiling liquid, and coagulated. The living tissue can be efficiently and rapidly coagulated over a wide range by using the liquid (physiological saline solution) brought to boil by the principle described above. The intervention of the liquid (physiological saline solution) enables the living tissue to be coagulated so that the living tissue may not be excessively carbonized by the heat of the high-frequency current and so that the coagulated living tissue may not firmly adhere to the probe or the jaw.